Austria tries former Syrian intelligence chief over torture allegations
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A former Syrian intelligence chief who served in the northern city of Raqqa on Monday appeared before a court in Austria, facing charges of torture, sexual abuse, and other crimes allegedly committed against opponents of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the early years of the Syrian conflict.
The trial, which is expected to continue for a month, is among a limited number of cases in which European courts have exercised jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed by officials of the former Syrian government.
The main defendant, identified under Austrian privacy laws only as Khaled al-Halabi, headed the General Intelligence Directorate branch in Raqqa between 2011 and 2013, during a period marked by widespread anti-government protests and armed conflict.
Prosecutors accuse al-Halabi of overseeing torture and mistreatment of detainees held by Syrian intelligence services. A second defendant, a former senior police official in Raqqa known by the nickname “Angel of Death,” faces charges including serious bodily harm, aggravated coercion, and sexual assault.
If convicted, both men could face prison sentences of up to 10 years. The defendants pleaded not guilty and denied participating in torture or other abuses.
When questioned by the court, al-Halabi rejected allegations that violence was used against detainees under his authority. “Impossible. That would not be in my interest. It is also not how I was raised,” he told the presiding judge.
According to prosecutors, detainees were held in overcrowded cells and subjected to systematic abuse, including beatings and other forms of ill-treatment. Khaled al-Halabi denied witnessing or authorizing such practices and said detainees were not kept overnight at the intelligence facility.
He also denied any knowledge of the so-called “magic carpet,” a torture device reportedly used in Syrian detention centers.
Al-Halabi arrived in Austria in 2015 and was granted asylum after leaving Syria. During the hearing, he declined to confirm reports that intelligence agencies assisted his departure from the country, saying only that relatives had helped arrange his travel.
The case follows a series of war crimes prosecutions in Europe targeting former Syrian officials accused of human rights violations during Syria’s conflict, which began in 2011.